Open-Book Exam Success Created by Misty Bailey & Holley Linkous - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Open-Book Exam Success

Created by Misty Bailey & Holley Linkous

• Explain pros & cons of open-book

exam

• Write effective open-book

questions

• Assist students in preparing for
• pen-book exams

Objectives

Mentimeter - Inter eractive P Presen entatio ions

Warm Up: Group Discussion

Exams and Learner Experience

• Focus on memory retrieval through

recognition instead of recall

• Encourages learners to take responsibility

for personal learning style (strategies such as time management, goal setting)

• Facilitation of success now creates building

blocks for future success

• However, learners are self-directed and

autonomous, but not necessarily spontaneous in these characteristics.

Learner Autonomy

• Promotion of reflection, reflexivity,

critical thinking, and problem solving

• Increased self-efficacy and self-esteem
• Fosters a sense of empowerment
• Two-way communication
• Indicative of online student success

Nielsen, Bean, & Larson, 2018

Health FX, Jun 12., 2018; Heinjne- Penninga et al., 2008

Growing Body of Knowledge

• U.S. Air Force Academy

– Pilots, emergency procedures

Green et al., 2016

Application Example

Similar Psychometrics

Pros & Cons

• Application of knowledge (deep

learning)

• Learners can show what they

know vs. what they don’t know

• Reduction of test anxiety

Block, 2012; Williams, 2004; Dhall, 2016; Green et al., 2016; Gupta, 2007

Pros

• Use of resources = slight (if

any) higher achievement

• No need for $11,000 test

monitoring software (yes, PER test)

• Proctoring burden decreased

Block, 2012; Williams, 2014

Pros

• Writing new or revising

previous exam questions

• More difficult & time-consuming

to grade

• Potential for cheating

Dhall, 2016; University of Newcastle, n.d.

Cons

• False sense of security for

students

• Learners spend more time finding

answer than answering question

• Students might study less

Block, 2012; Green et al., 2016

Cons

Open-Book Question Writing

Role of Resources?

• What would be the role of notes

and other resources?

• Organization of ideas
• Concise presentation of information
• Applying information to solve

problems

• Evaluating information from sources
• Assessing relationships between

ideas

Dhall, 2016

• Students should DO things with

information

• NOT just locate information and

reproduce it

Arthur, 2018

Role of resources?

Open-Book Questions

• Replicate real-world conditions
• Rich, messy clinical learning

environments

• Set student up as the “expert

advisor” or “key decision maker”

Arthur, 2018; Williams, 2004

Bloom’s Taxonomy

• Ask students to apply and

synthesize multiple pieces of information to answer

Siering, 2020

Focus on the Conceptual

• Clarification
• Assumption
• Reason & evidence
• Origin & source
• Implications & consequence
• Viewpoint

University of Newcastle, n.d.

Socratic Questions

Conceptual Examples

• Describe (what is) the next step in this process…
• Define (which of the following defines) X within

context Y…

• Explain this situation through the lens of theory

Z…

• What would have happened if…?
• Identify/explain/fix the error in a computation

Siering, 2020

Mini Case Study

• Provide mini case & ask

questions related to it

– Based on the case above, which of the following is the most likely cause of the patient’s pain? – Based on the above patient’s needs, which of the following is the preferred course of action?

Siering, 2020; University of Newscastle, n.d.

Outcome Prediction

• Describe an interaction, and ask

students to predict the outcome

– What would happen if we prescribe X?

Siering, 2020

Identify a Concept/Principle

• Which of the following is an

example of a Z?

• Which of the following best

exemplifies the principle of X?

Siering, 2020

Interpretation

• Provide a chart or laboratory

results for students to interpret.

• Ask “what if” questions

Siering, 2020

Other Tips

• Have students show their work by

uploading a scan

• Use multilevel thinking by including

phrases like “most appropriate” or “most important”

Siering, 2020

If using problems from a textbook publisher, change names, numbers, and the scenario Siering, 2020 Other Tips

Helping Students Succeed

How can we help students succeed on

• pen-book exams?

Preparation: Strategies that Work

• Focus on pertinent information,

reinforce with examples

• Encourage learner involvement

throughout the learning process with activities and engagement

• Allow and promote verbalization,

encouraging a safe learning environment.

• Handouts, practice tests, etc.

including examples and key topics

Mitchell, 2004

• Set your expectations to higher-

level skills

– Conceptualization – Problem solving – Reasoning

Green et al., 2016

It Begins with the Instructor

Setting the Stage for Success

• Time management (24 hrs?)
• Clear, unambiguous questions
• Design with learning outcomes in mind
• Match exam questions with the kind of

information emphasized in class

Arthur, 2018; Siering, 2020; Green et al., 2016; University of Newcastle, n.d.

Setting the Stage for Success

• Lay ground rules
• All students have all resources

and materials needed

• Encourage learners to study and

not rely on a book or notes

• What will be rewarded with

partial credit?

Block, 2012; Gupta, 2007

Key Points

• Consider role of resources
• Similar to MCQs based on higher levels of

Bloom’s Taxonomy

• Focus on the conceptual
• Help students prepare for success

Resources

• Arthur, L. (2018). How to design a good open book exam.

University of Technology, Sydney. Retrieved from https://lx.uts.edu.au/blog/2018/02/13/design-open-book-exam/

• Block, R. M. (2012). A discussion of the effect of open-book

and closed-book exams on student achievement in an introductory statistics course. PRIMUS, 22, 228–238.

• Dhall, M. (2016). Fear not the open book. IndianLink.

Retrieved from http://www.indianlink.com.au/fear-not-the-

• pen-book/
• Gupta, M. S. (2007). Open-book examinations for assessing

higher cognitive abilities. IEEE Microwave Magazine. doi:10.1109/MMM.2007.906034

• Heijne-Penninga, M., Kuks, J. B. M., Adriaan Hofman, W. H.,

& Cohen-Schotanus, J. (2008a). Influence of open- and closed-book tests on medical students’ learning approaches. Medical Education, 42, 967–974.

Resources

• Heijne-Penninga, M., Kuks, J. B. M., Schonrock-Adema, J.,

Snijders, T. A. B., & Cohen-Schotanus, J. (2008b). Open- book tests to complement assessment-programmes: Analysis of open and closed-book tests. Advanced in Health Sciences Education, 13, 263–273.

• Mitchell, G. (2004). Adult learning and high stakes testing:

Strategies for success. Adult Learning, 15(3-4),16-18. DOI:10.1177/104515950401500304

• Mohanan, K. P. (n.d.). Open book examinations. Indian

Institute of Science Education and Research Pune. Retrieved from http://www.iiserpune.ac.in/%7Emohanan/educ/openbook.p df

• Neilsen, P. L., Bean, N. W., Larsen, R. A. (2018). The

impact of a flipped classroom model of learning on a large undergraduate statistics class. Statistics Education Research Journal, 17(1), 121-140.

Resources

• Siering, G. (2020). Tips for creating open book
• exams. Indiana University. Retrieved from

https://blogs.iu.edu/citl/2020/03/27/open-book-exams/

• The University of Newcastle Center for Teaching and
• Learning. (n.d.). A guide for academics – Open book
• exams. Retrieved from www.Newcastle.edu.au/ctl
• Williams, J. B. (2004). Creating authentic

assessments: A method for the authoring of open book open web examinations. In R. Atkinson, C. McBeath, D. Jonas-Dwyer, & R. Phillips (Eds.), Beyond the comfort zone: Proceedings of the 21st ASCILITE Conference (pp. 934–937). Perth, 5–8 December. http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/perth04/procs/ Williams.html

Questions?